Dec 27, 2002
Final Stats| Quotes | Game 2 Recap
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) - Freshman guard Brandon Rohe scored a career-high 29 points off the bench to lead Santa Clara to a 70-63 victory over Mississippi Valley State in the first round of the 36th annual Cable Car Classic.
The Broncos will meet the Texas A&M-Princeton winner in the championship game Saturday at 8 p.m. in the Leavey Center. Tickets are still available by calling 408/554-4660.
Santa Clara (7-3) outscored Mississippi Valley State, 15-0, late in the second half and outrebounded the Delta Devils by a 24-8 margin after halftime to pull away for the victory. Broncos center Jim Howell scored 16 points and had nine rebounds, while sophomore guard Ethan Rohde added 11 points.
Sophomore center Attarrius Norwood scored 26 points to lead the Delta Devils (1-7), marking the highest point total for a Bronco opponent since Devin Montgomery scored 26 against Santa Clara last season at Pepperdine.
The Broncos, who trailed much of the first half, regained the lead with 14:20 left in the game when Rohe made a turnaround jumper to give them a 40-38 lead. Rohe also made six of nine 3-point attempts in the game.
Rohe's 29 points was the most for a Bronco freshman since Brian Jones tossed-in 34 points in a 79-72 win at home against Marquette in 1996. It also marked the second-highest total ever for a Bronco freshman.
Mississippi Valley State rallied briefly as Santa Clara missed five consecutive free throws. But after the Delta Devils took a 47-46 lead with 8:34 left, Santa Clara went on a 15-0 run, taking its biggest lead at 61-47 with 3:27 remaining to put the game away.
Norwood helped Mississippi Valley State take a 31-28 halftime lead by scoring 16 first-half points, making seven of his 11 shots.
The Delta Devils twice led by as many as eight, but Santa Clara chipped away, with Rohe hitting a 3-pointer as time expired in the first half.